Praeparatio Donorum and the Super Oblata Prayers. A Variety of Terminology for the Framework of a Discussion on the Eucharistic Sacrifice and Offering

Teološke rasprave o žrtvenoj vrijednosti euharistije (je li euharistija žrtva ili zahvala) oslabile su, ali ta tematika nije prestala biti kamenom spoticanja u teologiji i liturgiji, s jedne strane opterećena višestoljetnim napetostima i s druge olakšana zbog postignuća koja su proizišla iz mnoštva biblijskih, dogmatskih, patrističkih, ekumenskih i kulturalno-antropoloških istraživanja. Ni liturgijski vidici u posljednjemu stoljeću nisu bili zanemareni. Pa ipak, još uvijek postoji niz otvorenih pitanja koja ne uspijevaju pronaći odgovor i prijete da se zbog nejasnoća u unutarcrkvenome životu stvaraju podjele proizišle iz teoloških shvaćanja koja su izrijekom navedena ili se nalaze u pozadini stavova. Ovaj doprinos, usredotočen poglavito na euharistijski obredni segment pripremanja darova (praeparatio donorum) i molitava nad prinosima (super oblata), upozorava na bogatstvo izraza i na njihovu iznimnu slojevitost i uzajamnu isprepletenost koja ne dopušta pojednostavnjivanja bez velikih negativnih posljedica. Analizom sadašnjih tekstova iz Rimskoga misala, ali i uz pomoć širega euhološkog konteksta, autor pokazuje različitost značenja i načine na koji se žrtvena dimenzija izriče u liturgijskim molitvama. Izdvojeni pojmovi: dona, munera, sacrificia, hostia, oblata/oblatio, dobivaju ne sasvim jednoznačnu, ali ipak jasniju fizionomiju u terminološkome spletu, što ima veliko značenje za prevođenje, ali i za izgradnju teologijske istančanosti u pristupu drugim pitanjima. Na kraju članka autor proširuje raspravu i pokušava približiti liturgijsku cjelovitost u kojoj se spajaju žrtvena i spomenčinska obilježja euharistije.Theological discussions on the sacrificial value of the Eucharist (is the Eucharist a sacrifice or a thanksgiving) have weakened, but the theme has not stopped being a stumbling stone in theology and liturgy. These discussions have on the one hand, been burdened by many centuries of tension while, on the other hand, they have become a respite due to advances in biblical, dogmatic, patristic, ecumenical and cultural-anthropological research. Neither have liturgical aspects in the past century been neglected. However, there still exists a series of unanswered questions which cannot be answered, and threaten to confusion within ecclesiastical life to create divisions caused by certain theological understandings, literally implied or found to be in the background of present attitudes. The Eucharistic celebration, due to its ritual stratum and dependent on various cultures has succeeded in retaining systematic and content entirety. The individual emphases within theology and sense of ecclesiology belong to a particular epoch of Eucharistic life, noting that any form of exclusion does not contribute to a valid scientific approach. The dilemma surrounding the Eucharist: is it chiefly a sacrifice or a thanksgiving; should not be solved without valuing the terminology in its complexity, including the encumbrance of the origin and meaning of the individual expressions. In the usage of Latin expressions, the author reveals important constants, which allow for an easier insight into the nuances of quite a wide textual spectrum of super oblate prayers. Translations of these expressions do not reflect the suppliant theological-liturgical content, excessively and easily equalizing and reducing them to a word in the translations. The underlying reason is the unforeseen, that dona - munera - sacrificial - hostia/ae do not have the same meaning. It is also evident that the their various meanings are heavily reliant on the verb offerre and the closely related adjective (oblatus, -a, -um) and its respective noun (oblation), while not ending the gradation and internal componential difference of the expressions. A preserved gradation allows for a typical Christian theology and theologizing of the ritual sacrifice in the context of the memorial feast. Using an analysis of the present texts from the Roman Missal, and aided by a wider euhological context, the author demonstrates the variance of meaning and method by which the sacrificial dimension is expressed in liturgical prayers. Separated concepts do not receive completely the same-meaning. However a clearer physiognomy in the terminological medley, has a great meaning not only for translation, but also for the construction of a theological subtleness opening an approach to other questions. Towards the end of the article, the author expands his discussion and suggests that it would be more acceptable to reconcile the once-only offered Christ\u27s sacrifice on the Cross as a unrepeatable salvific event and ritual recurrence (as a repeated contemporariness) that does not need to depart from Jesus\u27 critique of the Temple cult. In other words, finding a Christian particularity and not fleeing into an exaggerated spiritualization of the sacrifice which already ritually exists as a sacrifice, an exchange, and a transubstantiation. Over-rating the theology of the sacrifice would contribute to an inner-societal discussion and opening of the space of culture in which Christianity can be a counter-weight to the numerous idolatries, and a distancing from the multiple-stratum present in the Eucharist. Overcoming the old anathemas requires the reading of the present contents in the prayers which are unfortunately seldom and intentionally silenced. The complexity of the ritual segment under the name of praeparatio donorum does not need to confuse but to encourage theologizing (nonetheless) of the actual themes in the present

The Eucharist - the Summit in Accession, Permanency in Living the Initiation

Euharistiju se u teološkim raspravama, u pastoralnome djelovanju i u životu vjernika nastoji promatrati u središtu sakramentalnoga života i staviti u prvi plan, ali odviše rijetko tako da bi se vidjela cjelina kršćanske inicijacije, odnosno mjesto koje u inicijacijskome hodu i nakon njega pripada euharistiji. Izdvajanjem euharistije iz konteksta inicijacijske cjeline, gubi se snaga spasenjskoga događaja, odnosno sudjelovanja u njemu. Neteološkim pristupom sakramentima krsta i potvrde pastoralno se narušava euharistijska snaga i ljepota Crkve. Pristup sakramentima i građenje sakramentalnoga života Crkve, koji se temelji na odvojenosti i fragmentiranosti sakramenata, na njihovoj \u27apsolutnoj\u27 vrijednosti, narušava dinamiku inicijacije koja se u život ispisuje od krštenja preko potvrde do euharistije, ali se čita u obratnome smjeru, počevši od euharistije (ona je i vrelo). Tu je dinamiku moguće vidjeti osobito na primjeru euharistijskih molitva (povijesno-kerigmatska, sakramentalno-epikletska, eklezijalno-eshatološka dimenzija). Sakramenti krsta i potvrde usmjereni su i dobivaju svoj smisao u zbilji i u svjetlu euharistije, što na svim razinama života Crkve zahtijeva veću povezanost triju sakramenata (usp. SCa 17-19). Krstom su vjernici suobličeni Kristu i ucijepljeni u njegovo Tijelo (biti u Bogu po Kristu; biti kristovski); potvrda po darovima Duha omogućuje izgrađivanje Tijela Kristova (djelovati po Kristu i s Kristom; djelovati kristovski), a euharistija daje prostor življenosti Krista (klanjati se Bogu i živjeti u Kristu; slaviti/živjeti kristovski). Taj doksološki model ujedno je i kristološki koji od sakramentalne instrumentalnosti vodi u sakramentnu dogadajnost. Nezaobilaznu teološku istinu pokazuje i činjenica neponovljivosti prvih dvaju sakramenata te ponovljivost euharistijskoga slavlja. Sakramenti inicijacije nisu \u27prethodnica\u27 kršćanskomu življenju, nego su darovana i primljena mogućnost, kako bi mogla biti življena svakodnevno (liturgijski \u27danas\u27) u kršćanskoj zrelosti, tj. euharistijski. Vrijedi i obratno: punina kršćanskoga života u Crkvi ne \u27slijedi\u27 jednostavno sakramente inicijacije, nego se suoblikuje kao milost i kao zadaća ostvarivanja otajstva koje je slavljeno u inicijaciji - u vazmenome otajstvu kojega smo postali dio u tim sakramentima. Hod kršćanske inicijacije je hod obraćenja koje se ostvaruje s Božjom pomoći i u trajnoj povezanosti s crkvenom zajednicom.In theological debates, pastoral activities and the life of the believer, the Eucharist is observed in the focus of sacramental life and is put in first place but far too rarely for it to be seen in the completeness of Christian initiation - the place where the Eucharist belongs during our walk through initiation and after it. By extracting the Eucharist from the context of initiation on the whole, the strength of the salvational event is lost, i.e. participation in it. A non-theological approach to the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation diminishes the Eucharistic strength and beauty of the Church. Accessing the sacraments and developing the sacramental life of the Church which is founded on the inseparability and fragmentation of the sacraments - on their \u27absolute\u27 value - diminishes the dynamics of initiation which is written in our lives from Baptism through to Confirmation and the Eucharist but is read in the opposite direction - starting from the Eucharist (it is its fount). It is possible to see this dynamics in the example of the Eucharistic prayers (historically-cherigmatic, sacramentally-epicletic, existentially-eschatological dimension). The sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation are directed to receiving one\u27s meaning in reality and in light of the Eucharist which requires greater connection between the three sacraments at all levels in the life of the Church (cf. SCa 17-19). Through Baptism, believers are transformed in the figure of Christ and embodied into his Body (to be in God through Christ; to be Christly); through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Confirmation allows us to build Christ\u27s Body to act through Christ and with Christ; act Qhristly); while the Eucharist gives us space to live Christ (bow to God and live in Christ; celebrate/live Christly). That doxological model is at the same time Christological which leads us from sacramental instrumentality to sacramental eventfulness. The unavoidable theological truth can be seen in the inability to repeat the first two sacraments and the repetitiveness of the celebration of the Eucharist. The sacraments of initiation does not \u27precede\u27 Christian living but are granted and received opportunities that can be lived daily (the Liturgical \u27today\u27) in Christian maturity, i.e. the Eucharist. The same applies visa versa: the fullness of Christian life in the Church does not simply \u27secede\u27 the sacraments of initiation but are shaped as graces and a duty to realise the mysteries that are celebrated in initiation - in the Mystery of Easter of which we have become a part of through these sacraments. The walk through Christian imitation is a walk of conversion which is realised through God\u27s help and in permanent connection with the Church community